Fluid track sanding apparatus

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO APPARATUS FOR SANDING THE REGIONS OF A ROAD OR PASSAGE ADJACENT TO THE WHEELS OF A VEHICLE TO PREVENT SKIDDING. SAND IS CONDUCTED BY GRAVITY FROM A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED SPOUT OF A HOPPER TO THE AIR. INLET OF THE CASING OF A CENTRIFUGAL BLOWER HAVING A MOTOR DRIVEN BLADED ROLTATABLE MEMBER THEREIN. A PLURALITY OF AIR OUTLETS ARE DISTRIBUTED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF THE CASING. THE SAND IS SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THE AIR OUTLETS AND PROPELLED BY AIR UNDER PRESSURE THROUGH HOSE CONNECTIONS TO THE REGIONS OF THE ROAD OR PASSAGE ADJACENT TO THE WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE, A SEPARATE HOSE CONNECTION BEING PROVIDED FROM EACH AIR OUTLET TO A DIFFERENT ONE OF THE REGIONS OF THE ROAD OR PASSAGE. IN ORDER TO PREVENT SAND MOVING BY GRAVITY FROM THE HOPPER INTO THE AIR INLET OF THE CASING AND FILLING THE LATTER WITH SAND BEFORE THE MOTOR IS ENERGIZED TO DRIVE THE BLADED ROTATABLE MEMBER, A SINGLE VALVE STRUCTURE IS PROVIDED AT THE SPOUT OF THE HOPPER. THE VALVE STRUCTURE IS CLOSED, WHEN THE ROTATABLE MEMBER IS STATIONARY AND IS OPENED WHEN THE ROTATABLE MEMBER IS RUNNING.

Sept. 20,1971 c, L, HULTSTROM ETAL I 3,606,420-

FLUID TRACK SANDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 17, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 p 0, 1 c. L. HULTSTROM E AL 3,606,420

I FLUID TRACK SANDING APPARATUS I 4 Shoots-Shoat 2 Filed Feb; 17, 1970 Se t-20,1971 V QLHULTSTRQM ETAL 3,606,420

I FLUID TRACK SANDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 17, 1970 I 4 Sheets-Sheet :s

p 20, 7 c. L. HUL'TSTROM ET L FLUID TRACK SANDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 17; 1 970 United States Patent 3,606,420 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,606,420 FLUID TRACK SANDING APPARATUS Carl Lennart Hultstrom, Vallingby, Bolik Anders Eriksson, Johanneshov, and Elvin Efraim Arksten, Vallingby, Sweden, assig'nors to Aktiebolaget Electrolux, Stockholm, Sweden Filed Feb. 17, 1970, Ser. No. 12,060 Int. Cl. B60b 39/08; B61c 15/10; F04d 25/06 U.S. Cl. 291-3 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to apparatus for sanding the regions of a road or passage adjacent to the wheels of a vehicle to prevent skidding. Sand is conducted by gravity from a downwardly directed spout of a hopper to the air inlet of the casing of a centrifugal blower having a motor driven 'bladed rotatable member therein. A plurality of air outlets are distributed about the periphery of the easing. The sand is substantially uniformly divided between the air outlets and propelled by air under pressure through hose connections to the regions of the road or passage adjacent to the wheels of the vehicle, a separate hose connection being provided from each air outlet to a different one of the regions of the road or passage. In order to prevent sand moving by gravity from the hopper into the air inlet of the casing and filling the latter with sand before the motor is energized to drive the bladed rotatable member, a single valve structure is provided at the spout of the hopper. The valve structure is closed, when the rotatable member is stationary and is opened when the rotatable member is running.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention This invention relates to apparatus for sanding the regions of a road or passage adjacent to the wheels of a vehicle to prevent skidding.

(2) Description of the prior art In known sanding apparatus for vehicles of the kind heretofore provided, an individual hopper for sand has been provided for each wheel. With this arrangement difliculties are encountered in delivering the same quantity of sand to the vicinity of each vehicle wheel. Movement of sand by gravity from each hopper is controlled by separate valve structure located either at the outlet spout of the hopper or at the outlet end of a hose connection leading to a region of the road or passage adjacent to one of the vehicle wheels. Sand often becomes clogged at one valve structure while moving freely past another valve structure. This is objectionable because sand is not distributed uniformly to all regions adjacent to the differ ent vehicle wheels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Our invention relates to improved apparatus for uniformly sanding the different regions of a road or passage adjacent to all of the wheels of a vehicle to prevent skidding.

We accomplish this by providing a single hopper for holding a body of sand from which sand is discharged by gravity through a downwardly directed spout into the air inlet of a centrifugal blower including a casing at the periphery of which a plurality of air outlets are provided. A motor driven bladed rotatable member is disposed within the casing. The sand is substantially uniformly divided between the air outlets and propelled by air under pressure through conduit or hose connections to the regions of the road or passage adjacent to the wheels of the vehicle, a separate conduit or hose connection being em ployed from each air outlet to a different one of the regions of the road or passage.

In order to prevent sand moving by gravity from the hopper into the air inlet of the casing and filling the latter with sand before the motor is energized to drive the rotatable member therein, a single valve structure is provided at the spout of the hopper which closes the spout when the rotatable member is stationary and automatically opens responsive to rotating movement imparted thereto by the motor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing FIG. 1 more or less diagrammatically illustrates an automobile provided with sanding apparatus embodying our invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of the sanding apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken at line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken at line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a part shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 which illustrates it in a different position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of parts like those shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view, partly in section, of parts like those shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration if an electrical system for controlling the sanding apparatus shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 we have shown our invention in connection with an automobile 40 having front and rear wheels 41 to the vicinities of which sand is adapted to be propelled through conduits or hose connections 18 from sanding apparatus 42 which embodies our invention and desirably is mounted under the hood 43 of the automobile for reasons that will be explained hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the sanding apparatus 42 includes a centrifugal blower 1 comprising a casing 4 formed with a top air inlet opening 14 and a plurality of bottom air outlet ducts 16 equally spaced from one another about the periphery of the casing. An electric motor 9 is supported concentrically with respect to the casing 4 and beneath the latter in any suitable manner (not shown). The motor 9 is provided with a shaft 8 which extends upward within the casing 4 through an Y i 3 v 3,606,420

opening in the'bottom wall thereof. A rotatable lrnemb'erZ-FWhichds secured to the shaft '8 by its hub7, has a' plurality of curved blades or vanes 3 extending radially outward from the hub toward the vertical side Wall 15 of" the I casing. p

""As seen" in FIG; 3, the'inner ends of the blades 3 are tangential to the peripheral surface of the hub 7. Further, the-outer portions of-the blades 3 extend verticallydownward from the'top wall 4a of the casing 4 to the bottom wall 5 thereof. Also, the outer peripheral edges ll of the blades 3 are more or less parallel to the vertical-axis of the shaft 8. The upper portions 12 of the blades 3 of the blower wheel 2 are in the radially outer portions'straight and perpendicular tothe shaft 7 of the blower-wheel 2. Y ail-he bottom edges of the blades or vanes 3 are curved andhconforin to the shape of the top convex side of a dished member or plate 6. The'bottom edges 10 of the blades. 3 are fixed to" the top convex side of the dished plates 6,:the peripheral edges 11 of the blades terminating at rtheaperiphery of'the plate 6. The radial inner portions =13xof= "theblades 3'decline towards the shaft 7 of the blower wheel 2 under the air inlet 14 to the blower. The

rotatable member 2 can be formed of a suitable light weight material like plastic, for example, with the plate 6 and blades 3 integrally joined to one another.

The inner end of each duct 16 is in communication with the outer side wall 15 of the casing 4 through an angle on extending from point A to point B at the side wall 15, as indicated in FIG. 3. The corresponding distance between points A and B also is indicated in FIG. 2.

The side wall 15 of annular form slopes radially outward from the top 4a to the bottom 5 thereof. To promote flow of sand fromv the casing 4 and effect uniform distribution of the sand through the several outlet ducts 16 to the openings 17, the outlet ducts, which are slightly curved and extend horizontally about the side wall 15, have top walls 31 which slope downward from the points A to points B and bottom walls 32 which are more or less in the horizontal plane of the bottom wall 5 of the casing 4 at the periphery thereof.

With this construction of the blower 1 the sand discharged from the casing 4 is propelled downward by air under pressure at the inner ends of the outlet ducts 16 through successive portions thereof which become progressively wider by reason if the outward sloping side wall 15. At the points B the air ducts 16 are substantially round, as indicated at 16a in FIG. 4, so that continued free flow of sand is promoted by air discharged at a high velocity from the casing through the air ducts '16 and conduits or hose connections 18 to the regions of a road or passage adjacent to the Wheels of the vehicle 40.

A hopper 20 adapted to hold a body 19 of sand is air inlet 14. Although not to be limited thereto, the

diameter of the spout or nozzle 22 desirably is about onehalf of the diameter of the air inlet '14.

Within the conical bottom 21 of the hopper 20 we provide a dome-shaped member 23 having a top convex 1 surface, such member being formed with a plurality of 'slots 24 at the outer peripheral portion thereof which radiate radially outward from the center of the member.

This prevents the sand in the hopper 20 from building up a solid mass which completely bridges the lower part -ofthe conical bottom 21. The building up of such a solid mass of sand is objectionable because such a bridge of packed sand will not readily discharge from the hopper In accordance with our invention, in order to prevent sand from flowing from the hopper 20 into the casing shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and rotating movement is im- 4 and filling the latter with sand before the motor 9 starts to drive the rotatable member 2, we provide a valve 26 at the spout or discharge nozzle 22 which closes the latter when the rotatable member 2 is stationary and automatically opens responsive to rotating movement imparted thereo by the motor 9 when the latter is energized.

The valve 26 comprises an open bowl-shaped member having its bottom 27 fixed at 28, as by a screw, to the upper end of the motor shaft 8. The bowl-shaped member is formed of an elastomeric material and has a plurality of.leaves or sections 29 that are upright and abut one another and are disposed about and hug the outlet nozzle or spout 22 of the hopper 20 when the motor shaft 8 is stationary. This position of the leaves 29 of the bowlshaped member. 26 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. Under these conditions sand cannot flow from the outlet nozzle or spout 22 into the casing 4 of the air blower 1 when the motor 9 is not functioning to drive the rotatable member 2.

When the motor 9 is connected to a source of electrical energy and-rotating movement is imparted to the bowl-shaped member 26, the leaves 29 will be subjected to centrifugal force and move from the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 to the positions shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6 the leaves 29 are separated from one another by gaps 30. Moreover, leaves 29 no longer will be in intimate physical contact with the outlet nozzle 22, so that sand can flow by gravity from the hopper 20 into the casing when the blower wheel 2 is being driven by the motor shaft 8. To promote movement of the leaves 29 of the valve 26 from their upright positions in FIGS. 2 and 5 to their spread apart positions in FIG. 6, the center portion of the valve, at the region it is fixed at 28 to the shaft 8, may be more resilient than portions of the leaves 29 more removed from the center portion.

By employing a relatively great number of blades or vanes 3 0n the rotatable member 2 the latter literally grinds the sand introduced into the casing from the hopper 20. In this way any lumps in the sand are readily broken up to insure a uniform distribution of sand at the outlet ducts 16 and free movement therefrom through the hose connections 18 to all regions of the road or passage adjacent to the wheels 41 of the vehicle 40.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 we have shown another embodiment of our invention in which a single valve structure 34, 35 is provided for controlling the flow of sand from the hopper 20 into the casing 4. The valve structure in FIGS. 7 and 8 comprises a pair of disks or diaphragms 34 and 35 formed of elastomeric material like rubber, for example, the diaphragms being dish-shaped and having outer peripheral edge portions 36 and 37 which are rounded or curved and extend toward one another.

The top diaphragm 34 is formed with an opening 38 and fixed at 45 to the lower edge of a hollow sleeve 25 which is disposed about the spout 22 and vertically movable thereon. The bottom diaphragm 35 is imperforate and fixed at 48 to the upper end of the motor shaft 8. An electromagnet 49, which is disposed about the hollow sleeve 25, is connected by conductors 50 and 51 to a source of electrical energy in a manner that will be explained presently. When the electromagnet 49 is energized the hollow sleeve 25 and top diaphragm 34 are raised to their positions shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 to provide a vertical gap 52 between the peripheral edge portions 36 and 37 of the diaphragms 34 and 35. When the electromagnet 49 is deenergized the hollow sleeve 25 and top diaphragm 34 move downward by gravity with the peripheral edge of the diaphragm 34 coming in intimate physical contact with the peripheral edge of the bottom diaphragm 35.

When the top diaphragm 34 is in its raised position parted to the bottom diaphragm 35 by the motor shaft 8, sand can freely flow from the hopper 20 through the spout 22 onto the bottom diaphragm 35 from which the sand is thrown into the casing 4 by centrifugal force. In order to prevent sand from blowing out of the casing 4 at the air inlet 14 under these conditions, a strainer 39, which is disposed about the sleeve 25, is provided at the air inlet 14.

When the top diaphragm 34 is in its lower position and in physical contact with the bottom diaphragm 35 and the latter is stationary, the diaphragms 34 and 35 cooperate with one another to provide a single valve structure which functions to stop flow of sand from the hopper 20 into the casing. Under these conditions the sand introduced into the space formed within the diaphragms simply packs therein and blocks the continued flow of sand through the spout 22.

In FIG. 9 we have diagrammatically illustrated the electromagnet 49 connected by conductors 50 and 51 to a source of electrical energy, such as, for example, the battery 53 of the vehicle 40. A hand operated switch 54 is connected in the conductor 50. The electric motor 9 is connected by conductors 55 and 56 to the battery 53, the conductor 56 having contacts 57 adapted to be closed by a manually movable bar 58. The electric motor 9 also is connected to the battery 53 by a parallel circuit including conductors 55 and 59', the conductor 59 having contacts 60 adapted to be closed by the manually movable bar 58. Further, the conductor 59 also includes a brake lamp 61 and contacts 62 and 63 associated with a brake pedal 64, the contacts 62 and 63 closing when the pedal is depressed against the upward biasing action of a spring 65 to apply the brakes of the vehicle 40.

When the vehicle 40 is being driven on a road or passage having slippery conditions caused by ice, for example, the driver closes the switch 54 which energizes the electromagnet 49, thereby raising the sleeve 25 and top diaphragm 34 to permit sand to flow from the hopper 20 to the bottom diaphragm 35. The driver then actuates the bar 58 to close the contacts 60. Thereafter, the electric motor 9 will be energized automatically each time the driver depresses the brake pedal 64 which applies the vehicle brakes and at the same time closes the contacts 62 and 63. Therefore, when driving the vehicle 40 under icy road conditions the motor 9 will be energized and drive the bottom diaphragm 35 each time the brake pedal 64 is depressed, whereby sand will be thrown from the bottom diaphragm 34 into the casing 4 by centrifugal force when the vehicle brakes are applied. The blower 1 can be of a type which operates at a speed of about 3500 rpm. and can reach this speed very quickly so that sand will be effectively propelled by the blower 1 through the hose connections 18 to the vicinities of the wheels 41 when it is needed.

When starting the vehicle 40 under icy road conditions or driving uphill at such a time, the bar 58 can be actuated to close the contacts 57 to complete a circuit for the motor without the need to operate the brake pedal 64.

It is desirable to fill the hopper with sand that is free of foreign matter like stones, for example. By locating the sanding apparatus 41 under the hood 43, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 1, heat radiated from the engine of the vehicle 40 can be effectively used to keep the sand dry and free from moisture.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for sanding the regions of a road adjacent to the wheels of a vehicle to prevent skidding comprising (a) a centrifugal blower including a casing formed with a top air inlet and a plurality of air outlets distributed about the periphery thereof,

(b) a rotatable shaft projecting upward within said casing from the bottom thereof,

(c) a bladed member mounted for rotation on said shaft within said casing,

( d) means for driving said shaft,

(e) a hopper above said casing adapted to hold a body of sand, said hopper having a discharge nozzle which is directed downward therefrom for conducting sand to the air inlet of said casing,

(f) conduit means conducting sand from each of the air outlets to the region of the road or passage adjacent to a different one of the wheels of the vehicle, and

(g) a single valve means controlling the movement of sand from the discharge nozzle of said hopper to the air inlet of said casing,

(h) said casing and said bladed rotatable member be ing so constructed and formed that the sand is substantially uniformly divided between the air outlets and propelled by the air through said conduit means to all of the regions adjacent to the Wheels of the vehicle.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said hopper is positioned under the hood of the vehicle.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said single valve means comprises a part which is fixed to the upper end of said shaft and rotatable therewith, said part when rotating movement is imparted thereto functioning to receive sand from said discharge nozzle and throw such sand radially outward therefrom into said casing by centrifugal force.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said valve means part comprises an open bowl-shaped member having its bottom fixed to the extreme upper end of said shaft, said member being formed of elastomeric material and having a plurality of upright sections or leaves which abut one another and are disposed about and hug said discharge nozzle when said shaft is stationary, said leaves being subjected to centrifugal force when rotating movement is imparted to said member by said shaft, whereby said leaves are separated from one another and move out of physical contact with said discharge nozzle.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said member is of greater resiliency at the region it is fixed to said shaft than at portions of said leaves radially removed from said region.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said single valve means comprises top and bottom disks, said bottom disk being fixed to the upper end of said shaft and rotatable therewith, said top disk having an opening, a hollow sleeve disposed about and vertically movable on said discharge nozzle, means connecting the lower end of said sleeve to said top disk at the opening therein, said valve means stopping flow of sand from said discharge nozzle when said top disk is in a first lower position and coacts with said bottom disk and enabling sand to flow from said discharge nozzle onto said bottom disk when said top disk is vertically removed from said bottom disk and in a second upper position, and, when said top disk is in its second upper position, said bottom disk functioning to throw sand radially outward therefrom by centrifugal force when rotating movement is imparted thereto by said shaft.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said top and bottom disks are formed of elastomeric material.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which the peripheral edge portions of said top and bottom disks are curved and rounded and extend toward one another, said peripheral edge portions physically contacting one another when said top disk is in its first lower position.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 which includes a strainer disposed about said hollow sleeve and overlying the top of said casing at said air inlet.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including means operable to raise said hollow sleeve on said discharge nozzle and move said top disk to its second upper position, said means for driving said shaft comprising an electric motor, an electrical circuit for connecting said motor to a source of electrical energy, said circuit including first and second branches connected in parallel, each of said branches having a switch and a common actuating member therefor, said actuating member being movable from a first off position to second and third positions for respectively closing the switches in said first and second branches, said first branch completing a circuit for said motor to the source of electrical energy when said actuating member is moved from its first off position to its second position, a brake pedal for the vehicle which is movable between an upper ofi position and a depressed on position, said second branch including a pair of cooperating contacts operativel associated with said brake pedal and completing a circuit for said motor to the source of electrical energy when said actuating member is moved from its otf position to its third position and said brake pedal is depressed.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which said scond branch of said circuit includes a brake lamp.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1924 Sherwin 2913 7/ 1924 Sherwin 291-3 10/1943 Williams 23047 1/1953 Storberg 2913 12/1953 Hill et al 230-117 3/1954 Werbe 2913 8/1958 Bleier 2301 17 9/1961 Sturmer 2913 US. Cl. X.R. 

